No Fertilizer Or Bug Spray On The Garden In Over 4 Years...

"We live in a Retirement Village and space is limited so it is not possible to have a compost heap. As an alternative, I started a worm farm in our garage four years ago and it has been a great success, largely due to Duncan Carver's excellent newsletter.

I have not purchased any fertiliser, or bug spray, since then and our garden has never looked better or healthier. The leachate, diluted 20:1, is an excellent liquid fertiliser and foliar spray but I believe that the Worm Tea is even better.

I have three 25 litre buckets which go in rotation. I have an aquarium pump, half a litre of worm castings, weighted down in an old stocking, and two tablespoons of molasses, maturing for two days and then watered over any plants, or lawn, which require nourishment.

Having three buckets means that, before starting, the tap water has stood for four days which is sufficient time to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Our garden is small (about 600 square metres) and our vegetable peelings are quite sufficient to keep the system operating.

It seems to me that all my plants are much healthier than previously and the bugs, such as aphids and rust, no longer appear. If they did, I would simply apply a foliar spray of dilute leachate. My sincere thanks to Duncan Carver for his excellent advice." ~ Graham Harington – Cape Town, South Africa

Envy Of Others, Without The Use Of Chemical Sprays Or Fertilizers...

"My worm farming input is similar to Graham Harrington's account of his worm farming activities. I too live in a retirement village and have been worm faming in Cape Town for seven years in my garage.

I organized a party of about six friends to come and learn from an experienced lady worm farmer all about the benefits of breeding compost worms and recycling waste and how the products from the worms can be used without the need of any sprays for insects etc. and of course the leachate and the compost derived from the worm farms.

I have the same formula for dilution and use of the leachate as well as the addition of the worm castings to normal compost at the rate of 20% castings to 80% compost. I also aerate casting for 24 hours in rain water (I collect) with the addition of molasses. My worm farms have increased to quite a few mostly by using 25ltr black containers with lids. The worm population grew by leaps and bounds so much so that I began to advertise on a free web site to sell worms by the litre with some bedding, baby worms and cocoons. I estimated by count that there are 350 – 400 worms per litre.

The gist of my story is that I am handicapped and spend most of my time in a wheel chair. I have two wonderful carers who have become so interested in worm farming and who, under my direction feed and care for my worms to their benefit as they receive the cash from the sale of worms and leachate. Not only that, I gave them worm farms of their own and they reap benefits from the products and now have flourishing gardens of their own.

My own small vegetable garden is my pride and joy and the envy of others, is without the use of chemical sprays or fertilizers. I cannot understand why more people don't start their own farms with one box even if they only have pot plants to care for. Most think its too much trouble even with once a week to ten day feeding. I gather most of the vegetable and fruit peelings as well as my own, from my friends for which they in turn are given now and again a litre of leachate for their plants!

I too would like to thank Duncan Carver for his weekly newsletters that are really the best source of information on the internet. I have passed it on to many hoping they too will contribute by signing on to Worm Farming Secrets.” ~ Beryl Saunders, Cape Town

Success In The Community Garden, Market Garden & Home Garden...

“Hi Duncan,

I thought you might be interested to know that at a community garden I work at in New Zealand we have been using aerated vermicompost tea (not leachate) for two large plastic tunnel houses to keep down aphids and white fly and improve plant health generally and it has been working.

I have initiated this practice as a result of what I have read in your newsletter and the book I got from you online. I have learned so much from you. I have become known as the worm nerd or the worm lady and plan to give a workshop on worm farming next year so I can help people keep their worm farms healthy and productive.

I have five worm farms here at home. They are all metal with holes in the sides and a big screened hole at the bottom and a metal lid. Here in NZ we use washing machines that have drums which fit the above description. Of course it is harder to harvest the vermicompost from these, but I have to use them to keep the rats out as we are bush locked at our place and rats destroyed my plastic worm farms.

I have improved the productivity of my farms as a result of your helpful, clear information and appreciate it so much. My worm farms produce lots of worms and lots of vermicompost. I use the vermicompost to make the aerated tea and use it on the orchard, the glass house, my seedlings and my home and market garden.

I have two buckets set up for making the tea so I never run out. I use an aquarium pump and an aerating stone which distributes the bubbles more evenly. Thanks again for all your helpful info.

Sincerely,

Pam Adam”